Flash-point tester.



F. VON BICHOWSKY.

FLASH POINT TESTER.

APPLlcATioN FILED JULY 25,1914.

L23'2A1 3., Patented July 3, 1917.

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F. VON BICHOWSKY.

FLASH POINT TESTER.

APPucATloN FILED JULY 25.1914.

l ,232,4 l 3 Patented July 3, 1917.

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FOOBD VON BICHOVSKY, OF BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA.

FLASH-POINT TESTER.

Specication of Letters Patent.

.Patented July 3, 1917.

Application filed July 25, 1914. Serial No. 853,221.

other inflammable liquids and it consists in v the combinations, constructions, and arrangements herein described and claimed.

An object of my invention is to provide a device by means of which the flash points of oils like kerosene may be recorded automatically.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device of the type described in which the testing of the oil is rendered more accurate by an agitation of the same during the heating of the oil.

A further object of my invention is to provide a flash point tester which is adjustable for varying the barometric influences so as to compensate for the various conditions, thereby increasing the accuracy of the device.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device which is simple and reliable in its operation and which does not require attention after being started.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the following specification, and the novel features of the device will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming part of this application in which- Figure 1 is a side view of the device,

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatical view showing the arrangement of the sparking points,

Fig. 3 is al detail view of a portion of a device showing the manner in whichthe inflammable strings are disposed,

Fig. l is a central vertical section through the device on the line 4 4 of Fig. 5,

Fig. 5 is a plan View of the testing device, the recording mechanism being removed, and

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatical showing of the circuits.

In carrying out my invent-ion I provide a suitable base 1 having a support 2 thereon consisting preferably of a conical-shaped metal retainer. The oil cup 3 is designed to rest on the support 2 and to this end the walls of the cup have preferably a slight taper in the opposite direction from the sup-4 port Q. so as to permit the bottom of the cup to enter the support 2. The walls of the oil cup are provided with openings l.

Disposed above the oil cup is a casing 5 having a bottom 6, The casing is provided on its interior with a ring 7 having a shoulder 8. This ring supports a cap 9 between which and the ring may be inserted a record- 'ingA disk 10 of paper or any other suitable material. Arms 11 extend downwardly through the bottom 6 and are provided with `closures 12 for the openings 4.

These arms connect with a ring 13 which is provided with screws 14 which secure the ring 13 to the inner ring 7, slots 15 being provided in the casing 5 for permitting the movement of the rings 7 and 13 with respect to the casing, the upper cap 9, however, remaining stationary. The rings 7 and 13 are normally supported in an upper position by means of levers 17 and 18 whose lower ends pass through the bottom 6 and are normally pressed upon by springs 19. The lower ends of the levers, however, are held Vtogetherby means of a string 20, which has depending from it other strings 21. As stated above, the string 20 holds the levers 17 and 1S in the position shown in 4, thereby support-ing the upper ring 7. In placing the string 20 in position, the lower ends of the two levers 17 and 18 are pressed toward each other against the action of the springs 19. The string 20 is then made to encircle the lever arms attached to the levers 17 and 18 and the two .ends of the string are tied together, thus forming a. loop which holds the lever arms 17 and 1S in the position shown in Fig. 1.

Disposed above the bottom 6 is a train of clockwork 22 which drives a disk 23. This disk (see Fig. is provided with a stop member 24 having a notch 24X so as to provide a shoulder which normally engages a spring 25 controlled by the armature 26 and the magnet 9.7 so that when the latter is operated the spring is drawn out of the way to permit the rotation of the disk under the action of the clockwork. The latter is connected with a shaft 28 which extends downwardly and is connected with a paddle 29 at the bottom of the oil cup. In the oil cup is disposed a temperature coil 30. This consists of a compound copper-steel spring, one end of which is clamped in the block 75 by means of a screw 76, the block 75 being in turn secured to the post 77. The opposite end of the coil spring is connected to the laterally extending arm 78 of a quadrant 79. The upper part of this quadrant has a rack 80 which engages a gear 81 on t-he shaft 31. Vhen this coil 30 is heated the unequal expansion of its two layers causes the coil to unwind. The unwinding motion is communicated to the quadrant and thence to the pinion 81, causing the shaft 31 to turn. At the top of the shaft 31, see Fig. 4, is an arm 3 2, which bears a needle 32X disposed underneath the dial card or sheet 10. The end of the arm 32 projects normally underneath the shoulder 8.

From the foregoing description of the various parts of the device the operation thereof may be readily understood.

The oil whose flash point is to be determined is poured into the cup 3 until it reaches the overflow pipe 33. The drain cock 34 is, of course, closed. The tester proper, which includes only those parts of the apparatus that are attached directly or indirectly to the plate 6, is now placed upon the support 2 and the electrical contacts are made, as will be hereinafter explained. The oil is warmed by an electric heating coil 35 placed just underneath the cup. This heating circuit may be gotten directly7l from a suitable source of electrical energy as from the line circuit wires L, L (see Fig. 6). In

this instance the circuit flows from the line L through 36, 37, conductor 38, coil 35, conductors 39, 40, 41 to L. During the heating of the oil electric sparks are caused to pass between the terminals 42 and 43. The sparking circuit is as follows: On referring to Fig. 6, it will be seen that I have provided a clock-driven switch S having a movable switch arm s arranged to engage contacts c disposed in such positions that the contacts will be engaged by the arm in succession every fifteen seconds. At each contact current flows from the positive side of the battery B through the coil of the relay R, thence by conductor 44 through 36, 37, 45, conductor 46, 47, 48, arm s, switch S, 4 9, back to battery. This energizes the relay, causing the armature 1 to make contact at 50, thereby closing a circuit from battery B2, 5,6, r, 50, through the primary' of the induction coil I, 52 and 53 to battery. The secondary is connected by meansA of the wires 54 and 55 with the sparking terminals 42 and 43 respectively. The battery B2 is used to supply current which operates the magnet 27, this circuit being from battery B2 through 56, 36, 37, 45, 46, 47, 48, s, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, magnet 27, 62, 63, 52 to battery. The arm 9 on the switch S ei'lgages the contact 57 at intervals of about one minute and therefore the magnet 27 is energized at every minute.

The plate 23 (see Figs. 4 and 5) is under the tension of a spring which tends to rotate the same, but which is prevented from rotating by means of the stop member 24 which engages the stop 25 carried by the armature 26 of the magnet 27 until the latter magnet is energized when the stop member 25 is withdrawn to permit the plate to revolve under spring tension. This plate is connected, as stated before, with the paddle 29 through the shaft 28 so that the paddle is caused to revolve and this stirs up the oil, thus tending to distribute the heat to which the oil is subjected by the convection currents caused by the operation of the paddle. The circuit which operates the magnetic switch 64 (see Fig. 6) starts at the battery B3 and passes by conductor 65 through the coils of the switch to 45, thence through 37, 36, 56 and through the battery B2, which is in series with the battery B3, thence through 53, 52, 63, 62, through 66 to the frame of the tester, through the points 67, 68 and back by conductor 69 to the battery B3.

As explained above sparks are caused to pass between the terminals 42 and 43 every fifteen seconds. The make and break mechanism in connection with the coil I is not shown, but it is of the usual construction and will be readily understood. Then the oil reaches its flashing temperature a small flame will travel over the surface of the oil. This flame instantly touches one of the inflammable pendants 21 which are attached to the string 20. The ends of these pendants are arranged to touch the surface of the oil and they take up the oil by capillary attraction. The pendants are ignited and burn the string 2O in two. This allows the springs 19 to expand thus forcing the levers 17 and 18 to release the ring 7 whereupon the latter drops downwardly. In ldoing so it bends the spring arm 32 until the latter has passed the shoulder 8 when the arm springs back again and the needle point 32X punctures the record sheet at a point which indicates the flash point or flash temperature of the oil. As the ring 7 descends it carries with it the arms 11, thus bringing the closures 12 over the openings 4 and extinguishing the fiaming oil. At the same time electrical contact is made between a contact 67 on the lower end of the lever 17 and a contact 68 at the end of the conductor 69 (see Figs. 4 and G). This completes the circuit through the magnetic switch. All the circuits which pass through the switch are thus broken.

The record may now be removed, the oil drained out of the vessel 3 by means of the drain cock 34. After this the recording part of the instrument is inverted causing the ring 7 to return to its normal position. The levers 17 and r1S are then pressed together and tied in this position by means of a string Q0 with pendants attached. The drain cock is now closed and another lot of oil mayI be poured into the oil retainer 3. The recording part of the device is now placed so that the vent covers 12 are in alinement with the openings 4. A new dial disk may be placed in position and the magnetic switch 64 closed. When this is done the instrument is rotated to again complete a similar cycle of operation.

I claim:

1. In a device for determining the flash point of oils or other inflammable liquids, an oil retainer having vent openings, movable closures for said vents, means for normally holding said closures out of registration with said vents, means for igniting the vapor of the oil, and means operated by the burning of the oil for releasing the closure retaining means, thereby permitting the closures to be brought over the vents and extinguishing the name.

2. In a device for determining the flash point of oils or other inflammable liquids, an oil retainer, means for heating the oil in the retainer, automatic means for periodically stirring the oil during the heating thereof, and automat-ic means for periodically passing sparks above the surface of the heating oil.

3. In a device for determining the flash point of oils or other inflammable liquids, an oil retainer, means for heating the oil in the retainer, automatic means for periodically stirring the oil during the heating thereof. automatic means for periodically passing sparks above the surface of the heating oil, and means for registering the temperature at which the vapor' of the oil ignites from the sparks.

4. In a device for determining the flash point of oils or other inflammable liquids, an oil retainer, means for heating the oil in the retainer, automatic means for periodically stirring the oil during the heating thereof, automatic means for periodically passing sparks above the surface of the l'ieating oil, means for registering the temperature at which the vapor of the oil ignitcs from the sparks, and means for auto-A matically extinguishing the flame of the burning oil.

5. In a device for determining the flash point of oils or other inflammable liquids, an oil retainer provided with vents, a weight, means connected with said weight for closing said vents, means for normally holding the weight in an elevated position, said means comprising a pair of levers under Aspring tension, a flexible inflammable member for holding said levers against the tension of said springs, means for causing the passage of sparks periodically above the surface of the oil whereby the latter is ignited when it reaches a flash point temperature, the ignition of the oil serving to burn the string, whereby the levers are released and the weight is permitted to fall.

6. In a device for determiningthe flash point of oils or other inflammable liquids, an oil retainer provided with vents, a weight, means connected with said weight for closing said vents, means for normally holding the weight in an elevated position, said means comprising a pair of levers under spring tension, a flexible inflammable member for holding said levers against the tension of said springs, means for causing the passage of sparks periodically above the surface of the oil whereby the latter is ignited when it reaches a flash point tcmperature, the ignition of the oil serving to burn the string, whereby the levers are released and the weight is permitted to fall, and means operated by the falling of the weight for registering the flash point temperature.

7. In a device for determining the flash point of oils or other inflammable liquids, an oil retainer provided with vents, a weight, means connected with said weight for closing said vents, means for normally holding the weight in an elevated position, said means comprising a pair of levers under spring tension, a flexible inflammable member for holding said levers against the tension of said springs, means for causing the passage of sparks periodically above the surface of the oil whereby the latter is ignited when it reaches a flash point temperature, the ignition of the oil serving to burn the flexible member, whereby the levers are released and the weight is permitted to fall, and means for registering the temperature of the oil at the time the weight falls.

8. In a device for determining the flash point of oils or other inflammable liquids, an oil receptacle having vents, means for closing said vents comprising a weight, closures carried thereby7 and means for normally sustaining the weight in elevated position7 electro-thermo means for heating the oil, electric means for passing sparks above the surface of the oil whereby the latter 1s ignited at its flash point temthereby cutting ol" the heat-ing circuit and the spark circuit.

FOORD VON BICHOWSKY.

Witnesses:

E. B. TAUGLIER, A. R. AHLGREN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

